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Natural resources and environment
YOUR LEVY AT WORK
INDUSTRY WIDE ISSUES FOR INDUSTRY GOOD
Natural resources and environment
Water
Water Services Bill
The Water Services Bill will implement the government’s decision to comprehensively reform the drinking water regulatory system. The Bill establishes the duties and functions of Taumata Arowai as the new national Water Services Regulator. The new requirements introduced for drinking water suppliers will apply to anyone who supplies water to others for domestic purposes (excluding domestic self-supply). These regulations will capture some irrigation schemes, and small supplies serving more than just a ‘stand-alone or single domestic dwelling’, such as supplies serving packhouses and worker accommodation. HortNZ has made a submission and presented at the Select Committee in March. Key points HortNZ made in the submission were:
• It is important to retain and clarify provisions regarding proportionality, given many small supplies will be captured, and to provide a longer transition period. • Clarify and remove duplication between the Water
Services Bill and the Food Act, relating to the commercial washing of food. • Support for the concept of Te Mana o te Wai, and seeking clarity that Te Mana o te Wai is an integrating framework that seeks to provide for the well-being of water and the well-being of people.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Plan Change 9 – Tūtaekurī, Ahuriri Ngaruroro Karamū (TANK) Catchments
The focus of HortNZ’s submission is that water policy provisions provide sufficient flexibility to enable horticulture to continue to thrive on the plains, in a manner that is consistent with Te Mana o te Wai.
HortNZ will be supported by expert planning, economic, hydrology, water quality and farm planning evidence. The Council hearing is scheduled for May. HortNZ supports provisions that: • Support well designed water harvesting, storage, augmentation and cease take thresholds, to improve freshwater outcomes, support economic well-being and increase climate change resilience. • Enable crop rotation to support soil health. • Recognise the importance of domestic food supply of fruit and vegetables. • Recognise Tangata Whenua values and Māori agribusiness aspirations.
Climate Change
He Waka Eke Noa
He Waka Eke Noa is a partnership between iwi, government and primary sector to manage agricultural emissions. Agricultural emissions include emissions from animals and emissions from fertiliser. Agricultural emissions make up about half of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions, but emissions from the horticultural sector make up less than 2% of New Zealand’s emissions. HortNZ supports effects-based thresholds for He Waka Eke Noa milestones, to ensure the key focus of the programme is on reducing agricultural emissions.
Climate Change Commission Submission
HortNZ is developing a submission on the Climate Change Commission’s draft advice. Key points include: • Land use change to horticulture presents an opportunity for New Zealand to reduce emissions and improve freshwater outcomes. We seek joined-up policy across trade, labour and environment to support horticultural expansion. • Alternative heat sources for glasshouses are not yet commercially viable, largely due to the capital costs of alternative heat. Glasshouses are a resilient and efficient growing system, the importance of which will likely increase with a changing climate. The glasshouse sector urgently requires targeted investment to support its transition to lower-carbon heat. • Free allocation policy should be used to align with the
Paris Agreement outcomes, that is to reduce global emissions and to maintain food security. We seek a clearly articulated free allocation policy that includes explicit criteria for domestic food security and carbon leakage. We seek alignment of free allocation policy across all emissions sources, e.g. industrial, transport and agricultural emissions. • Industry assurance programmes such as NZGAP can leverage off market requirements for lower-carbon products, to deliver regulatory outcomes. We seek policy to support the use of industry assurance programmes.
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